A Little Twist ~
A kids guide to garden faeries

One of the things that D has always loved is stories about faeries. Not fairy tales, but the real lore of faeries, especially when it has to do with the world around him. Here are some of the D's favourite bits:

- You should never, ever eat berries unless you are certain they are for big people. Some berries are only for faeries and birds to eat. The faeries cast a spell upon their berries making anyone who eats them, who is neither a faerie nor a bird, very ill.

- If you grow a garden there are probably faeries in it. Faeries can be very helpful in the garden. You may want to grow a special thyme plant just for faeries to use, to keep them happy and encourage them to stay.

- If you are running and suddenly trip and fall for no good reason it is very likely a faerie has tripped you. Not all faeries are nice.

- Most faeries do not like bells. If faeries are wreaking havoc in your garden consider getting some wind chimes.

- Faeries are very fast. Sometimes you just catch a quick glimpse before they disappear. D is certain he saw a faerie disguised as a rabbit one day. He ran away so quickly we couldn't find him to get a better look.

- Although they prefer the country, there are plenty of faeries that live in the city.

- Faeries pinch. If you wake up with a little bruise and have no idea where you got it, it might be that a faerie has pinched you while you were sleeping.

- The tooth faerie might wear a big pink or white dress but most faeries do not wear such fancy clothes.

- Although you may be tempted, never catch a faerie and put it in a jar... it will simply turn to water.

Above: One of Mr. Knickertwist's faerie doors in our blooming
garden last summer. Mr. K does his best to keep the
faeries happy and willing to help.